Podcast #2 – Derek Webb Part 1

Last week, I drove down to Nashville to record a podcast with Derek Webb. His personality and humility made for a great interview. Webb is an increasingly influential voice in the evangelical world. I appreciated the chance to meet Derek and share some of our conversation here at Said At Southern. Pictured in the photo left to right: Trevin Wax from Kingdom people, Derek Webb and Tony Kummer. This is only the beginning of the interview, you can listen to part two here. Here are some notes from this part:

Mike,
Thanks for the heads-up. It looks like you guys have a good discussion starting.

Joseph, Clyde, Dt,
Thanks for your encouragement. I’m still trying to figure out the technology and how to ask the right kind of questions. Derek was very easy to interview. I was really impressed with his humility and thoughtfulness about some of these issues we addressed.

Tony, from a Geek’s perspective – the podcast came out really well, so you seem to be getting a hang of it all. 🙂

Also, your question regarding the gospel is a big question to ask, and a good question to ask. The gospel is central to a Christian’s life – and a response to that question illuminates someones view and understanding of the gospel really well…even if they don’t have time to prepare. So thanks for asking the important questions.

I have to agree with Stephen. Derek Webb gave a perfectly apropriate answer to ‘what the gospel is.’ If you read the entry in IVP’s Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels where they define ‘gospel’ you will see that the most true sense of what the word means in the Gospels is exactly what Derek explained. Paul, in I and II Corinthians for instance speaks of the Gospel in the sense of Christ’s work on the cross and reconciliation of the sinner to God. This is the point of Paul’s arguement in Romans! To say (in the gospel’s sense) that the ‘gospel’ is the proclaimation of the consumation of the kingdom and restoration of all things to God, included in this is the cross. The restoration of all creation, including the elect by way of the cross and ressurrection, is implicit in what he said. As stephen said, he went ‘big picture.’

What’s up with the controversy over his answer to “what is the gospel?”
He was asked to give a “brief summary” (exact words). Then the interviewer, at the end says, “okay, good.” Like what else is there to expect.

Please give this guy some grace. He wasn’t asked to roleplay and share the gospel, but to give a brief summary. No real life gospel presentation includes all the elements that he is being required to have given.

Remember, Who are you to judge another persons servant? The implication is that by judging one of Jesus’s servant one is actually judging Jesus.